To ask what’s in your lunchbox?

[TheSausageKingofChicago]

I need to start taking packed lunches to work. No heating facilities. Don’t really want sandwiches and crisps.

This is a budgeting decision but I really don’t want to be stuck with the same boring salad every day.

So AIBU to ask what’s in your lunchbox?

Food flask keeps hot food quite warm after a few hours. Hubby uses this at work
FOODTEK Electric Lunch Box, 1.5L Portable Food Warmer 2 in 1,Thermal Lunch Box for Travel, Office and Car, Heating Lunchbox 220V, 2 Compartments - Suitable for Kids and Adults amzn.eu/d/hGXZWQ6

I go into the office two days a week. I usually make up enough pasta salad for both days and then I bring something like carrot sticks or a boiled egg and a yoghurt or small dessert pot.

(I eat my lunch in the canteen not at my desk).

To those who don't like my egg lunch idea, I share an office with someone who buys Pret soups (usually spicy) every day or otherwise brings cottage pie/lasagne left overs to reheat. My eggs are nothing by comparison!

That's not exactly a balanced meal!

I just can’t perceive that to be true. Those are nice smells. Hard boiled eggs are a rancid smell.

But those things smells ok, as much as I like them hard boiled eggs don’t.

I press, season really well then airfry/bake (if oven already on). Key to getting it right is lots of seasoning otherwise is tasteless

One of my favourite salads involves seasoning with sesame oil, maple syrup, garlic granules, soy sauce, rice vinegar and baking. Add to your favourite salad items (I pick mini tomatoes, cucumber, capsicum and lettuce). Salad dressing with tahini, soy and maple syrup

Food flask! That’s a good idea.

And loving the hummus and pitta or crackers ideas too.

Luckily, I don’t like eggs!

Would bento boxes work? Meant to be eaten at room temperature, and far more interesting than a sandwich. You don't have to go as full on as imamu room (much as I love her Youtube channel), but especially if you have a rice cooker you can set rice to cook for when you get up, then the toppings can be a simple or complex as you like.

I also made a variation on this pasta salad a few weeks ago and it was good, simple to make and held well in the fridge for a few days.

Please don’t keep cooked rice at room temperature in a lunch box, it’s food poisoning waiting to happen. It needs to be eaten immediately once cooked, or cooled very quickly and stored at fridge temperature.

Glad you don't work anywhere near me. I couldn't bear the stink of hard boiled eggs in my workplace.

I’ve just made tomorrows lunch.

grated carrot, cucumber, tomato, sliced beef, Edam cheese, silversking onions and some courgette relish.

bit random but doing the using whatever needs using method.

Thermos for hot drink
Sho for noodles or pasta or stews

A thermos with either soup or leftovers.

Roasted vegetables with bagged rocket on top and toasted spiced seeds. And a clementine.

Alexander Hart has a good book with lunchbox salads that only take 5 minutes to make often using left overs. The book is quite pricey but there are some recipies available on line

Three here

www.oliverbonas.com/blog/inspiration/three-fresh-filling-and-flavoursome-salads-from-the-the-five-minute-salad-lunchbox

and three different ones here

www.theguardian.com/food/2021/apr/19/speedy-not-sad-five-minute-office-friendly-lunches-from-alexander-hart

i take a lunch bag with ice packs in and they easily keep lunch cold until lunchtime.

i do a base of cous cous, tomato and cucumber every day and then vary the additional salad / protein so it’s not the same every day. So for additional salad - chopped onion / peppers / olives / grated carrot / beetroot / pickles. For a protein ham, chicken, eggs (though not in enclosed office space!), tuna, hummus, roast beef, cheese cubes, feta, falafel, salmon, prawns etc. Even those anti pasti packs I sometimes split over a couple of days

@prescribingmum thank you 🙏

I tend to go through phases with recipes, current favourites on repeat are:

thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/melissa-hemsleys-white-beans-with-caesar-style-tahini-dressing/

then Melissa Hemsley’s new book Feel Good has an amazing brocolli ras el hanout feta number.

Also into a charred feta salad with black beans, from Gousto - ordered once and making it on repeat from scratch, much cheaper. Mexican-Style Charred Corn & Chipotle Feta Salad if you want to look it up on the app.

An easy win back up is pesto pasta - roasted onions, peppers, jar of spicy pesto and feta.

or Lidl do pots of spicy olives, roasted peppers and I throw that on a bag of lettuce with feta.

I need shares in feta 🤦🏻‍♀️

Tomorrow's packed lunch is bulgar wheat with leftover baked salmon, radishes, celery, capers, mayo & horseradish dressing. The day before it was mortadella and salad sandwiches. Friday maybe leftover pasta in a thermos flask. the key thing is to keep it varied.

My favourite lunchbox salad is lettuce/spinach, cucumber, tomato, celery, sundried tomatoes then either feta and roasted chickpeas or hummus and pumpkin/sunflower seeds. It is pretty filling and very tasty. Or I like giant couscous cooked with vegetable stock mixed with roasted vegetables (courgette, aubergine, peppers, red onion). I often put a tray of veg in when the oven is on for dinner.